Balloon record

Adventurer David Hempleman-Adams has successfully flown across the Atlantic in a helium balloon. The 50-year-old from Wiltshire flew over the coast of Brittany, France, in the balloon four days after leaving Canada.

The completion of the 2,625-mile journey is thought to have set a new world record for the longest distance flight in a helium balloon.

The balloon is no bigger than an average living room.

On his blog, Hempleman-Adams said: "We've done it! I've just passed the distance I needed to get the world record for the class of balloon I'm flying. I can't believe it. We've done it. I'm so pleased, thank you everyone."

Afterwards, he said: "This has to be my last solo flight. As Steve Redgrave said, 'if I try to do another, my friends have permission to shoot me'." "This challenge was just too close to the edge. There was such a small margin for error," he said. "If you can imagine your settee having four ropes attached to a balloon, that's exactly how it was. Health and safety wouldn't like it too much."

In 1998 Hempleman-Adams became the first person to reach the geographic and magnetic North and South Poles as well as climb the highest peaks in all seven continents.